Sherrill Charged With Trying To Burn Woman And His 3-Month-Old Baby

Authorities have chareged Robert Allen Sherrill with trying to burn woman, his three-month-old baby in a residential fire Sunday morning at 1045 Boy Scout Road.

Sherrill, 56, is charged with aggravated arson and two counts of attempted criminal homicide.

Amy Bice said on Saturday that she, her daughter, Makala Ritchie, and the baby, Dakota Sherrill, went to the Motel 6 on Lee Highway to retrieve property from Sherrill. She said Sherrill threatened to harm her and the children and burn her house down with them in it.

She said he told her she had better hide her mother's vehicle because he would get it too.

Ms. Bice said on Sunday at 1:30 a.m. Sherrill called saying, "I will get you before you get me." She said at 4 a.m. she was returning home from the Waffle House on Highway 153 when Sherrill passed them in his vehicle. She said he turned around and started trying to run them off the road.

She said Dakota Sherrill and Jannifer Kidwell were with her at the time.

She said about an hour after this she smelled something burning and opened the door to her garage. She said her vehicle was engulfed in flames.

Makala Ritchie, who also lives at the residence, said 10-15 minutes before the fire she saw Sherrill running down the driveway and getting into his truck. She said Sherrill had threatened to burn their house down and kill her whole family. She said he told her he was going to cut her brother's head off.

Donald Green said he received a call from his sister, Joyce Cummins, who also lives at the address. She told him the house was on fire.

He said he hooked a tow rope to the back of the burning vehicle and pulled it out of the garage.

He said he had to move burning rags under the vehicle.

Sherrill was arrested Sunday night at a location in Red Bank.

Detectives with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office along with investigators assigned to the Hamilton County Fire Investigation Task force were able to determine through their investigation that arson was the cause of the fire, with Sherrill identified as a suspect.

Sherrill’s court date will be July 15, at 8:30 a.m. and bond was set at $150,000 on the charge of arson and $125,000 each on the two counts of attempted criminal homicide.

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